The importance of people and their roles in society are of great interest to me. Within our society the idea that certain individuals are held higher than others is the most interesting of others, usually based off of the privileges they have such as money, class, respect from others that not everyone gets. The ideas of our current societal norms paired with expectations are fascinating to me and how we as humans begin to react to them is something I enjoy including in my work. I am a designer, an innovator, artist and creator of things. I focus on the digital world of creating but 3 dimensional beings have always been something that will grab my eye. Using these ideas with geometry and dynamism is what I find when looking to create.

I use photography to start the creations of my digital illustrations. This imagery, creating a focal point and then accompanying it with geometric shapes is something that feels natural to me. Along with these ideas, I like to create pattern with textures and shapes, this helping the central theme. The use of positive and negative space shows through as well when it comes to my work. The shapes geometrically are simplistic but the composition is not as it could be said to be busy and chaotic. For example my work consists of a central figure or focus such as a person that is surrounded by varieties of shapes and movement.

Influences of the world are present. For me specifically, I draw inspiration from the Art Deco movement, specifically the architect William Van Allan who is best known for his work in the Chrysler Building in Manhattan, NY. The detail, pattern and line curvature as well the pattern and consistency of the design all are something that I find interesting and aesthetically pleasing. Other influence from that time are graphic designers Leo Marfurt and AM Cassandre. Constructivism and it’s use of shapes is also something I find highly intriguing such as the artist El Lissitzsky. As well as drawing inspiration from the past, I also find it in the present of the works by street artist turned graphic designer Shepard Fairey who came to fame by doing the Obama Hope poster as well as painter Kehinde Wiley and his use of color and pattern. These visual inspirations connect to me by their use of color, shapes and pattern. Kehinde Wiley is a painter that visually, the work isn’t compatible in style to the other examples but the use of pattern can be aligned to be similar as the use of pattern in the Art Deco examples. Naturally I am drawn to primary colors, their monochromatic difference within their color and how the colors work when put against one another. How these colors play off each other as well as how strongly they can stand alone is something I think lends itself to the theme of the people I am so interested it in the bigger picture; strong and individual but when put together intense and powerful.

For me, creating art is a way to escape, a way to free my mind. Being able to design and then build my design with my own two hands is very satisfying and calming. Having the skills to create something that someone can actually use and or wear, I think is an amazing skill to acquire and have.

The work that I produce doesn’t always have a specific meaning or concept behind the creation. I mainly focus on the new skills and techniques that I have learned and put them forward to create something both aesthetically pleasing and functional. In doing this, it is a sort of escape. When I create something i want the viewer to be able to have a connection with it and decide for themselves what it means to them.

My art is apart of who I am. Each piece is personal, thought about, made with my own two hands. I take great pride in all the things I make, like most people I had always signed my art to make a claim on its origin. With these new pieces I am taking a new approach on my leaving my signature, I am instead leaving my physical mark on each piece. When I made these pieces I was mainly considering passing them on, either gifting or selling, and how my audience and consumers would connect me to the art. So to make my pieces more personal I embed marks and make each piece by hand, no potters wheel. All these pieces encompass marks or fingerprints left on their surfaces, I call them my purposeful prints. The marks are all decorative and thought about, but mainly made to carry myself on with each piece

I connected to Aesop’s Fables through the stories they tell and how they communicate the morals they represent; in my own life, and the lives of every reader. They are a reflection of morals that we collectively believe in, so the lessons learned can be applied universally. I want the reader to take something with them as they finish these stories, whether that be questioning their surroundings or themselves. Thinking of the readers, my choice of style, color, layout, text, and presentation were all designed to help keep them engaged and easily relatable.

In order to make these age-old stories feel fresh and more relatable to readers across generations, I created a modern, illustrative style. Using influences from extremely well known cartoon-like styles from Hayao Miyazaki, Rebeca Sugar, and Bryan Lee O’Malley ,it made the characters approachable; connecting a hint of familiarity and a dash of quirkiness to the stories. Pushing the stylization of the character’s emotions and gestures made them visually interesting and fun.

The text is hand-written to create a more personal feel and the layout in the stories are consistent so the reader will know where the text and illustration will always be located; giving the text a more grounded feel. The individual book covers all have designated colors that symbolize the characters and the lessons they learn. While the larger collective book cover is simple line art with the text popping from a distance.

Every choice I made was to help grab the reader’s attention, give a fresh and familiar feeling to the stories, and make them relatable. This bridged the gap between age-old stories and a new generation of readers. As a result, these universal stories can continue to be retold and passed down in a refreshing way but keep their morals and traditions of storytelling intact.

Currently my primary art making is very corporate, as the field of study I’m hoping to enter has a very corporate atmosphere. It may be that the art of Graphic Design does seem to lend itself to more distant and less intimate art making and I believe that may be what attracted me to it in the first place. Although, in the previous semester I did take steps towards making my art more individual by choosing subjects that I am interested in personally and not just classical figures that are generally interesting to other people. In the coming semester I am forcing myself to take a much more intimate approach to art through an independent study, the concentration of which being deeply personal and difficult to keep at arms length.

Even in the past, my art has not been very emotionally driven, instead covering overarching classical themes that tend towards universal concepts, as opposed to expressing a personalized narrative. Its because of this distance that the subject of my show was as far removed from myself as possible. I made an art exhibit about an aquarium that doesn’t exist.

When I was a child Band-Aids could fix anything. From cuts and scrapes to broken toys, they were a cure all to my childhood. But as I grew older I realized they really couldn’t fix anything at all, if anything they could be a bit of a hindrance.

"Fixed" is a satirical commentary about that childlike naivety that I once, and I’m sure many others, felt once upon a time. In this exhibition, I use striking photographs to emphasize the fragility of life while equating each of them to a different country wide issue we all face, as adults, and as Americans. Each issue greatly effects are current lives and our future and yet many people choose to ignore or throw aside these issues thinking someone else will take care of it, or it’s not my job to handle it. Much like the view many have in regards to the roadkill alongside the road.

Aristotle once said that “the aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance”. To me this means that we do not create art in order to show the objects or subject matter as is, but instead to show what the subject matter means to us or how we interpret it. The work that I create isn’t necessarily representational. Instead it takes a more abstract form of the object that I’m trying to interpret.

When it comes to making my work, I enjoy exploring the use of line and value so the image demonstrates a more three-dimensional look. Different textures, cross hatching, exploration of patterns are all important to me. I am very interested in psychology, which was my minor. The theme of my more current art is exploring psychological disorders and phobias. I am drawn to this because I want to make people more aware about these disorders. When it comes to my art making I don’t really have any artists who inspires my work. My work which is primarily abstract/ non-objective art, comes mainly from the things that interest me. Again relating back to the theme of my show which is psychological disorders/phobias. This is something that really is important to me and makes me want to make art. Not only was it my minor, but it is also the career path I hope to pursue later in life.

Assisting individuals through art therapy, is the career path of my choice. I believe that art can be something that can help others heal and gives others a voice that they may not necessarily have on their own. I want to use art, and help other people create art in order to heal themselves.

Having a Self is like having an intimate relationship with someone you’ve known since you were young and yet feeling like you know nothing about them. I’m catching glimpses of who I am and who I might become but it’s capturing what my identity is now, in the present moment, that is the most difficult. Studying the Self isn’t an easy thing because it’s constantly changing, but to me that keeps it more interesting.

It’s challenging to get to know oneself through an introspective discussion, alone. Having that experience can be a very staggering reality, as questioning the Self and what makes you an authentic being in your own regard, can cause mental unrest. Many might fear even attempting to have this intimate experience and wouldn’t know where to begin. Socrates once said “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Interrogating yourself is a beautiful and painful experience that induces change in how you perceive your life. Painting is how I communicate to an audience to see the fruits of questioning my metaphysical presence, how I perceive my life.

I am inspired by the intimacy and honesty of artists whose works allow us to peer inside the individual. Jean-Michel Basquiat has always been an influence to my work with his use of symbolism and social commentary to give deeper insight to the truth of an individual. Basquiat’s use of crowns and halos turned the artist into a symbol within his work, and I want to experiment with this idea further. Studying the Self led me to discover Bryan Lewis Saunders’ work of daily self-portraits. Taking on the task to create a self-portrait every day for the rest of your life, is an inspiring level of getting to know one’s Self.

There is an immeasurable amount of experience waiting to be painted by my Self. Every work captures a different moment, a different glimpse, and a further understanding of who I am. I aim to model through my paintings how people can become more honest with themselves and start creating relations to their Self, bringing their experience to the table while walking away with a new one. Hopefully through this process of intimacy and honesty they will grow closer and more accepting of the understanding of their own Self.

I'm interested in bringing the narrative of life into my work as well as paying tribute to the complex beauty of the world around us. I often focus on one subject in depth to give emphasis to their story in particular, whether it be a place or a living thing. I want my audience to read into the details of my drawings as they would a novel; finding the bits of information that I include to inform the viewer of both creature and environment. I think of it as instigating a dialogue between people and the things that live alongside them.

I typically choose subject matter that pertains to nature; whether it be organic decay, animals, insects, or plant life. Location and territory are categories by which animals are identified by, they each have their place and role in the niche they call home. This quality is what makes them so useful as metaphors for our own place in life. We are tied to our environments; they become part of our identities. This is why I neglect to draw the eyes of my animals, so that they become vehicles for individual interpretation as opposed to specific creatures.

My interest in graphic design stems from the love of art and computers I had while growing up. Although I’ve always been interested in drawing and expressing my ideas through artistic means, I started college hoping to go into computer science. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I would enjoy taking a more artistic route, and that’s how I ended up here today.

When I begin a project, I start by researching and sketching. Through researching, I find new styles and artists that inspire me constantly. However, there are artists that I tend to always think of when starting a new project. A couple of them are Louise Fili, for her elegant and beautiful use of typography, and Saul Bass, because of his simple, yet iconic, logo designs.

As a designer, I’ve learned to be flexible to fulfill the requirements of each project. While I believe my style is flexible, I tend to be drawn to certain things. Even as I got older, I found that I was always attracted to playful and bubbly styles; things that would often be described as “cute”. This tends to come through in my work, whether it be the typeface, color palette, or style of illustration I’ve chosen to use.

When designing Cosmic Threads, a space themed girl’s underwear company, I could do whatever I wanted with little limitations. This allowed me to be overly playful with my designs and have fun with my pieces. Over all, Cosmic Threads is an example of who I am as a designer, and what I want my work to continue to be.

2. occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold"

I often think about the different roles that I play within my own life, as well as the roles other people occupy. My own roles include a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, student, employee, artist, etc. At any given moment, I must be ready to change from "Aunt Mariah" to "Mariah Kuta – Employee". Or from "At-home Mariah" to "At-school Mariah". These are sides of myself that possess different vocabularies and mannerisms. We all possess these subtle changes to our posture and behavior depending on where we are and whom we are with. We are constantly in a state of transition between these roles and social circles and we pass through these liminal spaces and into the appropriate role without really thinking about it. But, who are we when we occupy that liminal space? Do we base our identity on who we are to other people? The state of liminality by itself can be ambiguous and disorienting, but I also believe that a kind of peace can be found in that space.

My works are made to bring attention to our own liminal spaces and raise the question of who we really are in that middle ground. I want to bring focus to the Venn diagram that makes us who we are. There is a repetition of circles and overlapping images that represent colorful portals of activity and duty, while the black and white voids are the spaces that have not yet been designated. The various hints of injury come from the feelings of dissociation and disjointment that are effects from the state of liminality that wound our sense of comfort and stability. The contusions mimic the colors of the portals. Crystals are also a recurring theme as I see them as organic, multifaceted dimensions within themselves. They are small, but they hold a great depth and many possibilities for growth. The crystals represent us, as we are also composed of multiple sides, features, characteristics, and are forever changing and growing.

I draw inspiration from the watercolor quality, use of circles, and themes present in the artwork of Kelly McKernan. Mandie Manzano's use of color and movement are striking elements that I keep in mind when choosing the colors for my own works and how those colors will blend and interact with each other. James Jean's work possess an elegant and sometimes dark nature that is comforting and holds my attention to all parts of the piece. His line and color quality are strong elements of inspiration. I use the components from these artists that appeal to me to make decisions in my own work. Much like my inspirations, I aim to pose a question for the viewers and invite them to meditate on it while they observe my work.

2. occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold"

I often think about the different roles that I play within my own life, as well as the roles other people occupy. My own roles include a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, student, employee, artist, etc. At any given moment, I must be ready to change from "Aunt Mariah" to "Mariah Kuta – Employee". Or from "At-home Mariah" to "At-school Mariah". These are sides of myself that possess different vocabularies and mannerisms. We all possess these subtle changes to our posture and behavior depending on where we are and whom we are with. We are constantly in a state of transition between these roles and social circles and we pass through these liminal spaces and into the appropriate role without really thinking about it. But, who are we when we occupy that liminal space? Do we base our identity on who we are to other people? The state of liminality by itself can be ambiguous and disorienting, but I also believe that a kind of peace can be found in that space.

My works are made to bring attention to our own liminal spaces and raise the question of who we really are in that middle ground. I want to bring focus to the Venn diagram that makes us who we are. There is a repetition of circles and overlapping images that represent colorful portals of activity and duty, while the black and white voids are the spaces that have not yet been designated. The various hints of injury come from the feelings of dissociation and disjointment that are effects from the state of liminality that wound our sense of comfort and stability. The contusions mimic the colors of the portals. Crystals are also a recurring theme as I see them as organic, multifaceted dimensions within themselves. They are small, but they hold a great depth and many possibilities for growth. The crystals represent us, as we are also composed of multiple sides, features, characteristics, and are forever changing and growing.

I draw inspiration from the watercolor quality, use of circles, and themes present in the artwork of Kelly McKernan. Mandie Manzano's use of color and movement are striking elements that I keep in mind when choosing the colors for my own works and how those colors will blend and interact with each other. James Jean's work possess an elegant and sometimes dark nature that is comforting and holds my attention to all parts of the piece. His line and color quality are strong elements of inspiration. I use the components from these artists that appeal to me to make decisions in my own work. Much like my inspirations, I aim to pose a question for the viewers and invite them to meditate on it while they observe my work.

I have been an avid collector of old photographs, antiques, toys, obscure items, etc.. for quite some time. They cause me to contemplate past times and how things either change, evolve in the future, or come to an end. In addition to these objects, my art is heavily influenced by the commercial world, including both contemporary and vintage advertising, illustrations, comic books, magazines, and film. In particular, I’m attracted to the bold illustrative imagery that these sources typically provide.

I am generally drawn to the comic book style of drawing/imagery found in the artwork by artists Jack Kirby, John Romita, and Alex Ross. The pages that Kirby and Romita create, and comics in general have influenced my pieces. The way I use stencils and negative spaces when surrounding the subject matter and my composition of the page are drawn from this genre. Historic artists that I have researched and continue to influence my particular style of drawing are Daniel Hopfer and Albrecht Durer. Both of these artists worked with etchings and woodcuts. I often try to emulate their line work/quality and compositional elements when creating my artwork.

The compositions of my pieces typically feature some sort of centralized figure or figures, surrounded with similarly themed imagery and contained by some kind of border or negative space. I sometimes use color to help break up the monochromatic hues and give the piece a variation in texture and an easier resting place for the eye. The subjects and themes in my pieces often relate to ideas such as space, the passage of time, and life and death, intertwined with pop culture imagery. These themes and ideas can be found within my current body of work and will continue to inspire my future creations.

I have always been interested in storytelling and books of a wide variety of genres. More specifically, I am attracted to well-developed narrative illustrations that enhance and expand the intent of a story. Therefore, much of my artmaking is influenced by western and eastern animation, sci-fi/horror literature, and comics/mangas from companies like Shonen Jump, Marvel, Dark Horse, Funimation, and DC. I’m strongly influenced by the artists known as Simon Bisley and Josan Gonzales for similar and different reasons. They both have a vivid and graphic way of drawing that has a lot of movement and intensity to it. Bisley’s vibrant and high contrast use of color and Gonzales’s attention to detail and creative construction techniques have both inspired me greatly.

I draw a large variety of characters, worlds and concepts for comic books based upon my own writing. Often, I approach my art as storyboards for larger sequential art making, even if they exist by themselves. Stylistically, I work mostly with line but use a good amount of texture, shape, and color as well. My work is Primarily in ink, using graphite only to construct figures before inking them. My line work includes hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, scribbles, and various patterns to give illusions of textures and shading. In each class I take, my many imaginary worlds come with me and end up manifesting within class assignments, allowing me to develop my skills of bringing the characters and their worlds to life.